The present invention relates to a misting nozzle for atomizing a fluid, such as water, more particularly such a nozzle in which a nozzle pin is freely movable relative to a nozzle orifice.
Fogging or misting nozzles are known for atomizing fluids and typically have a nozzle with a nozzle orifice in communication with a source of pressurized fluid. A nozzle pin may be fixed within the nozzle located adjacent to the nozzle orifice, the nozzle pin having one or more openings or grooves to meter the amount and pressure of fluid passing through the nozzle orifice. By controlling the volume and pressure of the fluid passing through the nozzle orifice, a desired atomization of the fluid can be achieved.
While generally successful, the known misting nozzles are subject to becoming clogged, especially when the atomized fluid is water from municipalities and private wells. Due to the small dimensions of the nozzle orifice and the nozzle pin, the water flow passages or openings become easily clogged with scale, dirt, etc. which may be present in the water. Since the nozzle pin is fixedly mounted in the nozzle, when such clogging occurs the only recourse is to replace the complete nozzle.
During the use of such misting nozzles, it may become desirable to vary the fluid flow through the nozzle. However, in the known misting nozzles, the nozzle flow is fixed due to the fixed nozzle orifice and the fixed nozzle pin. The fluid flow through the nozzle can only be varied by substituting a different nozzle having a different nozzle orifice size and/or a different nozzle pin. This requires a user to have a multiplicity of nozzles on hand causing increased operating costs and undue complexity for the misting nozzle system.
The present invention relates to a high pressure misting nozzle which overcomes the problems of the known misting nozzles by providing a nozzle pin that is freely movable within the nozzle and which may be removed from the nozzle for cleaning. The nozzle pin may also be replaced with another nozzle pin having different-sized fluid metering passages to thereby enable the user to vary the fluid flow through the nozzle without replacing the entire nozzle assembly.
A high pressure misting nozzle is disclosed having a nozzle stem body with a fluid inlet and a first chamber in communication with the fluid inlet, a fogger nozzle attached to the nozzle stem body, the fogger nozzle having a nozzle orifice and a second chamber in communication with the nozzle orifice and the first chamber, a valve member movably located in the first chamber and movable between a closed position preventing fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the first chamber, and an open position which allows fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the first chamber, and a nozzle pin movably located in the second chamber, the nozzle pin having fluid metering notches and being freely movable between a first position in which it is displaced away from the nozzle orifice, and a second position in which it is located adjacent to the nozzle orifice, the fluid entering the second chamber urging the nozzle pin toward the second position. When the nozzle pin is in the second position, the fluid metering notches control the flow of fluid through the nozzle orifice to achieve optimum atomization of the fluid.
When the nozzle is connected to a fluid supply pipe or tube and the fluid pressure is below a predetermined level, the valve member will be located in its closed position, thereby preventing fluid from entering the first and second chambers of the nozzle assembly. The nozzle pin will also rest in the first position in which it is displaced away from the nozzle orifice. When the fluid pressure reaches or exceeds the predetermined pressure, the fluid pressure acting on the valve member moves it to its open position, thereby allowing fluid to enter the first and second chambers. The fluid entering the second chamber moves the nozzle pin to the second position in which it is located adjacent to the nozzle orifice in which it can meter the fluid flow through the nozzle orifice.
The present invention also encompasses a high pressure misting system utilizing a nozzle according to the aforedescribed construction connected to a length of tubing which, in turn, is connected to a fluid supply. Such a misting system can be utilized to cool an interior of an enclosure by locating the length of tubing and the associated nozzles either within the interior of the enclosure, or by locating the tubing and the nozzles adjacent to an opening through which air is drawn into the enclosure. By spraying atomized water into the air in the enclosure, or air being drawn into the enclosure, the evaporation of the water droplets will cool the air.